“People have given clear mandate”: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on J&K election results

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 8 (ANI): Peoples Democratic Party chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti congratulated the National Conference-Congress alliance on Tuesday for getting the “people’s mandate.”

She said that since the people have given a clear mandate, there is no chance for parties to “mess around,” claiming that if there was a hung assembly then there could have been tricks which could have been used to “defeat the mandate of the people.”

“I am happy that with how the people have voted, gadbad karna ka koi chance nahi hai ab (there is no chance to mess around now), it used to look like if the mandate was not clear then there could have arisen a lot of dirty tricks and there could have been talks of defeating the mandate of the people,” she added.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election results released by the Election Commission of India earlier today showed the National Conference winning 42 seats, 29 seats won by the Bharatiya Janata Party, 6 by Congress and 3 seats by the PDP.

“I congratulate the National Conference-Congress leadership, they have won spectacularly. I also want to congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir too that they voted for a stable government. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir had been dire after August 5, 2019. The people had a lot of problems, and it was important the formation of a stable government happened,” she said during a press conference.

Mufti further thanked the PDP leaders and workers for working tirelessly during the campaign.

She said, “I would like to thank the PDP workers and leaders that they voted even with all the difficulties, and I appeal to them that they should not give up.”

Earlier, PDP candidate and Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mehbooba Mufti had conceded defeat and thanked the people for the affection she got while on the campaign trail.

“I accept the verdict of the people. The love and affection I received from everyone in Bijbehara will always stay with me. Gratitude to my PDP workers who worked so hard throughout this campaign,” she said.

The assembly elections for the 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir were held in three phases on September 18, September 26 and October 1.